The latest Netflix hit that everyone’s talking about, Operation Safed Sagar, created by the successful ad-man Oni Sen, is a good six episode (thank god) entertainer that hits our patriotic spot… well, spot-on.
By its own claim, the story is about a less known Air-Force mission (led by the team of Golden Arrows) in the Kargil War of 1999, that laid the foundations of India eventually winning the conflict decisively. The narrative revolves around the making of the young pilots, how they enter the Air Force, are trained and groomed by senior Air Force veterans, grow from individuals to becoming one team, and eventually together become the flying force that turns a losing war against Pakistan towards a definitive road to victory, all while battling their own personal demons, challenges, and deeply emotional losses of loved peers in the battle. Think Top Gun Maverick meets Farhan Akhtar’s Lakshya, 2004 (the second half of the film).
Since most of the war-India-pride content has always been in the remit of big theatre Bollywood, this series fills a clear gap in our OTT fare, where this genre hasn’t been the most prolific. No wonder then, it works. Moving patriotic fervour from the big screen to an everyday living room (or bedroom, depending on what you prefer) conversation, in a post Independence Day collective glow, is a brilliant move.
But, the series also works because it is the full package. The special effects of our MiG’s swooshing through the high peaks of the Himalayas, with a little help from AI, are impressive and impactful.
The script and the story-telling is engrossing enough, and made for everyday TV. The twists and turns and the highs and lows, are extremely predictable, that makes for an emotionally comfortable viewing tucked into your sheets at the end of a long day. Don’t expect shock-n-awe, and thank god for that.
The peek into the inner workings of Pakistan that led to the Kargil war, especially the inner conflicts between its army and the Government, the political and diplomatic choices that both India and Pakistan make through the conflict, and the role that US, China play (or don’t) is well narrated and makes for a gripping story-telling (never mind the propaganda)
The characters are nicely crafted, probably because they are based on real people, which makes them authentic and form a connection with. The emotional arcs of each of the characters, even of the smaller characters (like the wives and girlfriends of the main actors), is nicely done.
The only thing one laments is the choice of the main actors that are centre stage all through the story. Siddharth as Squadron Leader Ahuja, the most critical character of the plot, is weak in his performance, body language and dialogues that don’t convince us of the stature, respect and the love that his character is portrayed to have. Jimmy Shergill, as Wing Commander Tony, the leader of the pack, is bland and ineffective in both the brainwaves he has that eventually wins the war and in the emotional upheaval he feels and has to manage with his boys. Pretty boy Abhay Verma as Flying Officer Dhali, predictably gets a lot of screen time, but apart from his weepy emotional scenes (that he does really well), he is not able to portray the over-confident, brash young upstart that he’s supposed to be. Mihir Ahuja, as Flying Officer Baldy, the other MCE, gets full marks for the effort he puts in to play the under-confident, vulnerable and sensitive young boy, but hits an average mark. In fact, it is Amrita Bagchi as Ahuja’s wife, Dia Mirza, as Tony’s wife, and Prajakta Kohli, as Baldy’s girlfriend-wife that put on a terrific show. But the actor that hits it out of the park, and is a joy to watch is Vinay Pathak, as Nawaz Sharif (Pakistan’s PM at the time), delivering a fabulously nuanced performance, conflicted between the army’s bullying and his own beliefs, between his love for his own country and desire for peace, between his own selfish political aspirations and doing what’s needed for his country. Good old actors continuing to deliver!
But I guess we can’t get everything we want. No such thing as a ‘mukkamal jahaan’ I suppose.
However, despite this, the series works really well. And is a must watch as your next Netflix binge, if you haven’t already seen it ofcourse.
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